A show at the United Nations about victims of sexual violence in Congo conceals identities but elevates the victims to a size larger than life, as Kassie Bracken finds.
The photography in “Congo/Women” — together with essays and video interviews online — explores the systemic violence against women, and the political and economic factors that sustain it. The images are provocative and disturbing: a malnourished child being measured in a clinic; the severed arm of a mother of three, lost while defending her children; a 70-year-old victim of gang rape awaiting counseling; child soldiers leaning against a fence, machine guns in tow.
An invitation has shown up online that hints at a new professional Canon DSLR, the 1D Mark 4. The 1D Mark III that it would replace is Canon’s oddball pro-level 1.3x crop-frame sensor DSLR (Canon has two different crop-frames in addition to its full-frame
The photography in “Congo/Women” — together with essays and video interviews online — explores the systemic violence against women, and the political and economic factors that sustain it. The images are provocative and disturbing: a malnourished child being measured in a clinic; the severed arm of a mother of three, lost while defending her children; a 70-year-old victim of gang rape awaiting counseling; child soldiers leaning against a fence, machine guns in tow.
After sifting through and evaluating more than 6,000 photographs submitted by photographers from 48 countries on six continents … the panel of judges for the Lens Culture International Exposure Awards 2009 have chosen the winners. Top prize went to Italian photographer Marco Vernaschi for his disturbing photo-essay about the effects of drug trafficking in a small West African country. Single Image Awards went to Brad Moore, Stella Johnson, and Laura Pannack. And 25 photographers from 13 countries won Honorable Mention Awards.
I grew up in newspapers. I learned my photography in newspapers. But with those lessons came rules and boundaries. I had placed myself in this proverbial box dictated by the hierarchy of gatekeepers who think they know what the readership wants to consume. The very same are now watching their newspapers fall apart because change was not on the menu.
But you couldn’t tell me this. It was obvious, especially now when I look at my work. So structured. I hate it. I have to fight against the structure still. The cleanliness of the frame is like an infestation of termites. You don’t always notice it until it is ruined.
He was born July 11, 1927, in Bloomington, IN, and graduated from Indiana University there. He was a freelance photographer for more than 50 years in western Pennsylvania where some of his elite corporate clients included U.S. Steel, Westinghouse, and Heinz.
I acquired Vivian’s negatives while at a furniture and antique auction. From what I know, the auction house acquired her belongings from her storage locker that was sold off due to delinquent payments. I didn’t know what ‘street photography’ was when I purchased them.
It took me days to look through all of her work. It inspired me to pick up photography myself. Little by little, as I progressed as a photographer, I would revisit Vivian’s negatives and I would “see” more in her work. I bought her same camera and took to the same streets soon to realize how difficult it was to make images of her caliber. I discovered the eye she had for photography through my own practice. Needless to say, I am attached to her work.
Donald R. Winslow, the editor of News Photographer magazine and of the National Press Photographers Association Web site, said, “None of us could recall any time in history that photographers had been banned from taking a picture, even in the Second World War and the first Gulf War.” Those with whom he spoke included Hal Buell, the former photo director of The Associated Press.
[slidepress gallery=’awrnw-cuba’] Hover over the image for navigation and full screen controls Alex Webb & Rebecca Norris Webb Violet Isle play this essay Q&A with DAH &n…
(1) Both of you have heretofore been solo artists. What sacrifices did you make and/or what benefits are there to a collaboration?
AW: From my perspective, the sacrifices were not great. Early on working in Cuba, I envisioned doing my own book, but I also wanted to do something different –– something unlike any of my past books, as well as something different from any of the many past photographic books on Cuba. When Rebecca and I hit upon the notion of combining our work, this resolved these concerns of mine. I also found it very exciting to weave our two distinct bodies of work together to create a different kind of portrait of the island. In fact, I am more excited about this book than any other book of mine since Hot Light/Half-Made Worlds, my first book, which came out in 1986.
RNW: I was initially concerned that my fascination with Cuba was taking valuable time away from a project that I had always thought would be my second book, My Dakota, a project that had started out as an exploration of my relationship with the West––and specifically my home state of South Dakota––and ended up also becoming an elegy for my brother, Dave. Now, I realize that bringing out the Cuba book before My Dakota was the right decision. I needed more time and distance from my brother’s death to absorb and distill and let go of My Dakota.
I’ve always thought this Canadian Club print campaign was genius, partially because of the vibe but mostly because I couldn’t figure out if the images were 40 years old or shot recently. When I discovered that Liz Miller-Gershfeld, VP and Senior Art Produ
When I discovered that Liz Miller-Gershfeld, VP and Senior Art Producer at Energy BBDO (the agency that made those ads) reads APE I asked her to tell me how the photography for that campaign went down. Here’s what Liz told me about the campaign (Robert Whitman shot it btw) and the important steps that go into finding the right photographer for any project
Arrest 1 (1965) by Bridget Riley I’d like to propose an alternative method to discuss issues of race in visual culture and the photographic industry, but first some preliminaries. HUGO AND TH…
I am sure most photographers have a lot of common ground to stake. But unfortunately, the web (or at least typing on the web) is no substitute for discussion. It takes too long, the moments pass, emotions deflate and you’re not even sure if you’re being heard/read.
So could we not back up our convictions with a commitment to meet in person. I am not talking about a coffee and a quick chat. Could we the photoblogosphere-peeps not arrange among ourselves a “conference”? It doesn’t need to be a massive production but the invite could be open. If photo-collectives, companies, magazines want to join then all the better. The agenda is ours to set.
Again and again similar images are repeated, with only the actors and settings changing. Grieving mothers, charred human remains, sun sets, women giving birth, children playing with toy guns, cock …
If two ends of the spectrum were identified this week during the debate about race and how it is (mis)treated by photographic practice we could see them as the moronic fashion world practitioners and then everybody else – “everybody else” being social documentarians, new-media visualphotoimagemakerjournalists, old-school bang-bang-club photographers and fine art practitioners. This second larger group is where most thoughtful folk place their energies.
The Portfolio Award goes to Italian photographer Marco Vernaschi, for his powerful project on the consequences of drug trafficking in the small West African country of Guinea-Bissau. His series presents a disturbing, visceral look at a country and people torn apart by the international drug trade, “where our fears meet the truth”.
Many argue that a block on such pictures is meant to protect the families of the victims. That is a worthy sympathy too. But that place is a funny one to draw such a line. If that holds true, should we not avoid photos of any casualty? Any disaster? Any death? Valuable coverage of the world would greatly suffer. We need to see to believe, and to understand the impact of our or others’ actions.
Things do go wrong, but a photojournalist who has worked for a daily newspaper is trained to do superior work, and quickly. She cannot come back to the office with no photo. The paper is coming out tomorrow, a photo is needed. She is used to operating under pressure.
There is a stereotype of members of the media as ghoulish news hounds, eager to push a camera in a grieving family’s face or go to any length to snatch a sound bite or quote for a story. As with many broad stereotypes, there is very little truth to it. That kind of thing rarely happens. But that doesn’t stop some people from jumping to conclusions and making assumptions about our ghoulish nature. For example, there were these comments posted to our story on the death of five-year-old Catherine Elizabeth Gibson, criticizing the stunning photo that ran with the story.
“14. Media will not be prohibited from viewing or filming casualties; however, casualty photographs showing recognizable face, nametag or other identifying feature or item will not be published. In respect to our family members, names, video, identifiable written/oral descriptions or identifiable photographs of wounded service members will not be released without the service member’s prior written consent. If the service member dies of his wounds, next-of-kin reporting rules then apply. Media should contact the PAO for release advice.”
